Pre-packaged display



1967 J. H. WUENSCH ETAL 3,

PRE-PACKAGED DISPLAY Filed Feb. 18, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS JohnH. Wuensch JohnA Ferraro BY HHRL 64) 20mm ATTORNEY 1967 J. H. WUENSCHETAL 3,295,571

PRE-PACKAGED DI SPLAY 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1964 F/G. 5INVENTORS John H. W|uensch JohnA. Ferrorcl BY HHRL wjlocks ATTORNEY 1967J. H. WUENSCH ETAL 3,

PRE-PACKAGED DISPLAY Filed Feb. 18, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 8 F 9INVENTORS John Wuensch John rruru BY KHRL Hoe/(s ATTORNEY United StatesPatent 3,295,671 Patented Jan. 3, 1967 filice 3,295,671 PRE-PACKAGEDDISPLAY John H. Wuensch, Leonia, N ..l., and John A. Ferrara, New

York, N.Y., assignors to Diamond International Corporation, New York,N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 345,613 14Claims. (Cl. 2064i) The present invention relates to a pre-packageddisplay device and, more particularly, a display device which may beshipped directly from the manufacturer of the goods to be displayed tothe seller, which display contains the articles desired to be sold andwhich display may be removed from the shipping package and used directlywithout requiring further construction.

Up to the present time it has been necessary in setting up displaydevices to ship or mail the display device in separate parts. This hasrequired the construction at the situs of use of the device by eitherthe retailer or the wholesaler. This past procedure is not onlyinefiicient and costly, but is also annoying to the retailer orwholesaler who are not interested in building displays. Specialassembling instructions are generally necessary and this does notguarantee that the desired display, particularly if at all complex, willbe constructed according to the design.

The display devices of the prior art also generally have the undesirablefeature of being inflexible to the display of articles of varying sizes.Thus, for example, if a display device was designed to display cans of4" in height, the same display could not later be used to display canshaving a height of 6". On the other hand, those devices which aredesigned for large articles, such as a display large enough to accept a6" can, will then not only Waste 2" of space when used to display a 4"can, but will also not securely retain the 4" can in place.

The prior art display devices formed of metal or plastic have proven notonly expensive to construct, but also, because of their great weight,have been expensive to ship. The display devices previously formed ofpaperboard, on the other hand, while of relatively light Weight andtherefore suitable for shipping, have required expensive gluing and/orstitching operations. Therefore, display devices of the prior art havenot proven completely suitable and sufficiently inexpensive, both inconstruction and for use in shipping.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide apre-packaged display which overcomes the deficiencies of the displaydevices of the prior art, such as those indicated above.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a means ofmailing or shipping a prepackaged display, wherein the recipient may setup the display immediately and expose the merchandise to public viewwithout assembling the display.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a relativelysimple but exceedingly eifective display device and package therefor.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device whichsaves time for a dealer in setting up a display.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a displaydevice which is particularly effective in holding and cradlingmerchandise, such as cylindrical containers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a displaydevice which expands for holding merchandise of all heights, and therebyprovides economy in using one display device designed for a whole lineof diiferent products.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a displaydevice which has an extremely light weight, yet which securely holds themerchandise in position and protects and noise-proofs the merchandiseboth during shipment and at display.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pre-packagedexpandable display device which is con structed without gluing orstitching.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide apre-packaged display device wherein the merchandise to be displayed isstacked in a plurality of layers and securely maintained duringshipping.

These and other objects and the nature and advantages of the instantinvention will be apparent from the following description taken inconjunction with the accorn panying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of one embodiment of a display device inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an expanded view in perspective of the display device of FIG.1 and including an article stabilizing device used only during shipping;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the stacking arrangement of the displaydevice of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the display device of FIG. 3 during shipping;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an element of the display device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5 and additionallyincluding a supporting pillar; and

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are plan views similar to FIG. 5 showing alternateembodiments.

A display device 10 in accordance with the present invention is showngenerally in FIG. 1. The display 10 comprises a central supportingpillar 12, a planar base 14 for the pillar l2, and at least one planarelement 16 disposed above the planar base 14 on the supporting pillar12. The supporting pillar 12 preferably passes through the centers ofthe planar base 14 and the planar element 16, since the structure willhave the greatest strength with the supporting pillar running throughthe middle. However, the supporting pillar may be disposed at the edgeor at any point through the planar base 14 and the planar element 16.Although the supporting pillar 12 may be formed of any material, it isdesired and preferable that it be formed of paperboard in the form of ahollow cylinder, since this construction provides adequate strength aswell as light weight for shipping and is also very inexpensive. Disposedwithin the top of the hollow supporting pillar 12 at the site of displayis a paperboard signpiece 18 with the desired indicia thereon.

The construction of the planar base 14 and the planar element 16 is bestshown in FIGS. 2 and 6. Each of these elements is formed of an uppertray layer 20 and a lower insert layer 22.

The upper tray layer 2% is provided with an attractive appearance fordisplay purposes by forming or molding such tray from a suitableattractive material into a desired configuration. The upper tray layer20 is therefore preferably formed of a molded material such as a thinvacuum formed sheet of plastic or molded pulp. The upper tray layer 29is preferably provided with article nesting or receiving recesses 24which are adapted to retain the articles to be shipped and displayed.Extending upwardly from the plane of the tray 2'0 is an invertedfunnel-shaped pillar gripping element 26 which has a funnel-shaped hole28 passing therethrough having a diameter at its upper end the same asthe outer diameter of the supporting pillar 12. About the periphery ofthe tray 26 is a downwardly extending flange 30.

The lower layer 22 provides a supporting structure for the molded traylayer 20 and is preferably formed of corrugated paperboard which islight in weight yet sufiiciently strong to provide adequate support. Thelower paperboard layer 22 has the same peripheral configuration as theinner surface of the flange 30 of the upper layer 20. Hence, as clearlyshown in FIG. 6, the lower layer 22 nests within the peripheral flange30 to provide support for the molded tray 20. The peripheral flange 30serves to hide the lower supporting layer 22, thereby giving the planarelement 16 and the planar base 14 a pleasing and attractive appearance.

The lower paperboard layer 22 is provided with cut portions whichprovide a plurality of triangular shaped flaps 32 disposed directlybeneath the pillar engaging element 26 of the upper layer 20. When thesupporting pillar 12 is passed through the lower layer 22, thetriangular shaped fiaps are forced upwardly into the funnel shapedrecess of the gripping element 26 of the upper layer 20. Thus, while theupper end of the funnel shaped hole 28 of the gripping element 26 servesto frictionally maintain the upper layer 20 in a desired location on thesupporting pillar 12, the flaps 32 are squeezed between the pillar 12and the tapered walls of the hole 28, thereby serving to maintain thelower paperboard layer 22 in position on the pillar 12. Simultaneously,the peripheral engagement of the edge of the paperboard layer 22 and theinterior surface of the flange 30 additionally maintains the lower layer22 and the upper layer 20 in locked position.

The upper layer 20 of the planar base 14 and the upper layers 20 of allthe planar elements 16 are identical. The lower layer 22 of the planarbase 14 and the lower layers 22' of the planar elements 16 are alsosimilar except that the lower layers 22' contain article retaining means(which are not necessary for the lower layer 22 of the base 14). Asshown in FIG. 2, these article retaining means comprise a plurality ofholes 34 which pass through the lower layer 22'. These holes 34 areadapted to receive the upper ends of the articles which are maintaineddirectly below in the nesting recesses 24 of the upper layer 20 on thetier immediately beneath the lower layer 22'. It is clear that therecesses 24 and the holes 34 must be correctly oriented verticaly aboutthe supporting pillar 12; this is easily accomplished since all theelements are supported on the pillar 12 by only frictional engagement.

The frictional engagement of the display elements provides one of themajor advantages of the present device. As the height of the articlesdesired to be retained in the display vary, the distance between theplanar elements 16 and between the lowest planar element 16 and theplanar base 14 can be varied by merely sliding the planar elements 16vertically on the supporting pillar 12. As the articles supported becomeshorter, more planar elements 16 can be added to the top of thesupporting pillar 12.

The particular configuration shown in the drawings is particularlyadapted to support cylindrical articles, such as cans or bottles. FIG. 3shows the display in operation supporting aerosol cans 36 and 33. Theaerosol cans 36 are supported within the nesting recesses of the planarbase 14. The upper end of the aerosol can 36 is retained in the holes 34of lower layer 22 of the planar element 16. The aerosol cans 38 arenested Within the nesting recesses 24 of the planar element 16 andrequire no upper support during display.

During shipping, the display 10, shown in FIG. 3 but without the signpiece 18, is placed in a corrugated shipping carton 40 of conventionaldesign but having inner dimensions so that the display will fit tightlytherewith (note FIG. 4). Thus, if the display has a circular crosssection, such as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, the carton 40 may beprovided with a square cross sectional area so that the planar base 14and the planar elements 16 will contact the interior of the carton 46each at 4 points about its periphery. It is clear that because of suchsupport the display device will be securely maintained Within theshipping carton 40.

Since the articles 36 are maintained in position at both their upper andlower ends within the display 10, such articles 36 will also be securelymaintained during shipping. Since the articles 33 on the uppermost tierare maintained only by their support in the nesting recesses 24, thesearticles 38 cannot be maintained in position without a furtherstabilizing member. Therefore, during shipping a stabilizing insert 42is provided which has apertures 34' for restraining the upper ends ofthe articles 38 in a manner similar to that in which holes 34 in thelower layer 22' maintain the upper ends of the articles 36. In addition,a pillar hole 46 is provided through which the pillar 12 passes foradditional stabilization of the entire shipping unit. The stabilizinginsert 42 may have any desired configuration so long as it maintains atleast a stabilizing contact against the interior sides of the corrugatedshipping carton 40. For ease of manufacture it has been found that asquare stabilizing member which has dimensions corresponding to theinterior cross sectional dimension of the packing carton 40 is mostsatisfactory. If desired, the stabilizing element 42 may have upwardlydepending flanges 44. Like the shipping carton 40 and the lower layers22 and 22, it is preferable that the stabilizing element 42 be formed ofcorrugated paperboard for maximum strength and minimum cost and weight.

To set up the display 10, the bottom corrugated paperboard layers 22 and22' are placed inside the downwardly depending flanges 30 of the uppermolder layers 20 so that the triangular flaps 32 of the lower layers 22and 22' extend upwardly into the funnel shaped recess of the grippingelement 28 of the upper layer 20. The planar base 14 is then pushed overthe supporting pillar 12 until it rests at the bottom or base of suchpillar 12. The articles 36 are then stacked in the recesses 24 of theplanar base 14. A second tray supporting unit, Le. a planar element 16,is then pushed over the supporting pillar 12 until the bottom of thecorrugated lower layer 22 contacts the upper extremities of the article36 and retains them within the holes 34. This procedure is repeateduntil the desired number of tiers is obtained. The display 10 is thenplaced in the shipping carton 40 and the stabilizing insert 42 is placedover the supporting pillar 12 and forced into the carton 40 over theupper ends of the articles 38. The carton is then sealed in aconventional manner and shipped.

When reaching its destination the carton 40 is opened, the corrugatedstabilizing insert 42 is removed and the complete display 10 is liftedout by grasping the supporting pillar 12. The display may be placedwherever desired and a sign piece 18 attached to the top of the pillar12.

FIGS. 79 show alternate shapes 20', 20" and 20", respectively, of thearticle nesting molded upper layer or tray. In addition, FIG. 8 showsthat the article nesting recesses 24 may be provided in any desiredshape to provide a seat for articles having other than a cylindricalshape.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made without departing from the scope of the invention and thereforethe invention is not intended to be limited to what is shown in thedrawings and described in the specification, but only as set forth inthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pre-packaged display comprising a supporting pillar, a planar basemounted on said supporting pillar and having a configured articlebearing upper surface, a planar element on said supporting pillardisposed above said planar base and having a configured article bearingupper surface, said planar element having article retaining means'article retaining means of the bottom surface of said;

planar elements, a shipping carton surrounding and contacting saidplanar base and said planar element, and an article stabilizing insertdisposed above said planar element and having article retaining means inits bottom surface, said stabilizing insert being surrounded andcontacted by said shipping carton, the highest of said tiers of saidcylindrical containers being immobilized between said configured uppersurface of a said planar element and said stabilizing insert.

2. A pre-packaged display comprising a supporting pillar, a planar basemounted on the bottom of said support ing pillar and having an articlebearing upper surface, at least one planar element on said supportingpillar disposed above said planar base and having an article bearingupper surface, said supporting pillar passing through said planar baseand said planar element and retaining said planar base and at least oneplanar element thereon by friction, a lower tier of articles disposedupon said article bearing surface of said planar base and contacting thelower surface of said planar element, and thereby immobilized betweensaid base and said lower surface, a shipping carton surrounding andcontacting said planar base and planar element, an article stabilizinginsert disposed above the uppermost of said planar elements, saidstabilizing insert being surrounded and contacted by said shippingcarton, and at least one upper tier of articles, said upper tier ofarticles being disposed upon said article bearing surface of saiduppermost planar element and contacting the lower surface of saidstabilizing insert and thereby immobilized between said planar elernentand stabilizing insert.

-3. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said planar element hasarticle retaining means in its bottom surface through which said articlecontact is effected.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said article bearingupper surfaces of said planar element and planar base compriseconfigured article nesting recesses.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said planar elementcomprises a lower paperboard layer and an upper molded layer, said lowerlayer having holes therein corresponding to said article retainingmeans, and said upper layer forming said configured article nestingrecesses.

6. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said shipping carton andsaid lower paperboard layer are formed of corrugated paperboard and saidupper molded layer is formed of a thin sheet of plastic.

7. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said article stabilizinginsert comprises a corrugated paperboard layer having holes thereinthrough which said article contact is effected.

8. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said supporting pillar isa hollow paperboard cylinder.

9. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said planar base and saidplanar element are circular.

10. A device in accordance with claim 2 having only one planar element.

11. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said upper molded layercomprises a downwardly extending peripheral flange and said lower layeris nested within flange.

12. A pre-packaged display device comprising a cylindrical supportingpillar, a planar base for said supporting pillar and frictionallyengaged thereto having an article nesting upper surface, a planarelement frictionally engaged to said supporting pillar disposed abovesaid planar base and having an article nesting upper surface and articleretaining means on its lower surface, cylindrical containers disposedupon the upper article nesting surfaces of said planar base and saidplanar element, said cylindrical containers on said planar base beingretained at their upper ends by said article retaining means, a cartonsurrounding and contacting said planar base and said planar element, anarticle stabilizing insert disposed above said planar element and havingarticle retaining means in its bottom surface, said cylindricalcontainers on said planar element being retained at their upper ends bysaid article stabilizing insert and said article stabilizing insertbeing surrounded and contacted by said carton, and a sign for mountingon the upper end of said cylindrical supporting pillar.

13. A pre-packaged display comprising a supporting pillar, a planar basemounted on said supporting pillar and frictionally engaged theretohaving an article nesting upper surface, a planar element frictionallyengaged to said supporting pillar disposed above said planar base andhaving an article nesting upper surface and an article retaining lowersurface, cylindrical containers disposed upon the upper article nestingsurfaces of said planar base and said planar element, said cylindricalcontainers on said planar base being retained at their upper ends bysaid article retaining lower surface, a carton surrounding andcontacting said planar base and said planar element, and an articlestabilizing insert disposed above said planar element and having anarticle retaining bottom surface, said cylindrical containers on saidplanar element being retained at their upper ends by said articlestabilizing insert and said article stabilizing insert beng surroundedand contacted by said carton.

14. A display device comprising a cylindrical supporting pillar, aplanar base mounted on said supporting pillar and frictionally engagedthereto having a configured article nesting upper surface, a planarelement frictionally engaged to said supporting pillar disposed abovesaid planar base, said planar element comprising a lower paperboardlayer having article retaining holes therein and an upper molded layerhaving a configured article nesting upper surface, cylindricalcontainers disposed upon the upper article nesting surfaces of saidplanar base and said planar element, said cylindrical containers on saidplanar base being retained at their upper ends by said article retainingholes in said lower paperboard layer, and a sign mounted on the upperend of said cylindrical supporting pillar.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,471,594 10/1923Evans 211-78 1,950,908 3/1934 Stone 206 X 2,063,319 12/1936 Lee 206-652,301,618 11/1942 Curtis.

2,678,543 5/ 1954 Lapentina 229--15 2,704,600 4/1955 Despres 20665 LOUISG. MANQENE, Primary Examiner,

1. A PRE-PACKAGED DISPLAY COMPRISING A SUPPORTING PILLAR, A PLANAR BASEMOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING PILLAR AND HAVING A CONFIGURED ARTICLEBEARING UPPER SURFACE, A PLANAR ELEMENT ON SAID SUPPORTING PILLARDISPOSED ABOVE SAID PLANAR BASE AND HAVING A CONFIGURED ARTICLE BEARINGUPPER SURFACE, SAID PLANAR ELEMENT HAVING ARTICLE RETAINING MEANS IN ITSBOTTOM SURFACE, SAID SUPPORTING PILLAR PASSING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY THECENTERS OF SAID PLANAR BASE AND SAID PLANAR ELEMENT, CYLINDRICALCONTAINERS DISPOSED UPON SAID CONFIGURED ARTICLE BEARING SURFACES SOTHAT SAID DISPLAY CONTAINS A PLURALITY OF TIERS OF SAID CYLINDRICALCONTAINERS, THE LOWEST OF SAID TIERS BEING IMMOBILIZED BETWEEN SAIDCONFIGURED UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PLANAR BASE AND SAID ARTICLE RETAININGMEANS OF THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID PLANAR ELEMENTS, A SHIPPING CARTONSURROUNDING AND CONTACTING SAID PLANAR BASE AND SAID PLANAR ELEMENT, ANDAN ARTICLE STABILIZING INSERT DISPOSED ABOVE SAID PLANAR ELEMENT ANDHAVING ARTICLE RETAINING MEANS IN ITS BOTTOM SURFACE, SAID STABILIZINGINSERT BEING SURROUNDED AND CONTACTED BY SAID SHIPPING CARTON, THEHIGHEST OF SAID TIERS OF SAID CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS BEING IMMOBILIZEDBETWEEN SAID CONFIGURED UPPER SURFACE OF A SAID PLANAR ELEMENT AND SAIDSTABILIZING INSERT.